Game apparatus.



No. 659,403. Patented Oct. 9, |900. F. S. KBATZET.

GAME APPARATUS." ,(Appximmn'med Jan. 15, 1900.)

(Nnv Model.)

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r f Q .dttorneysf 1' Il E n l F1 L I UNITED STATES f PATENTv OFFICE.

FREDERICK s. KRATZET, on DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 659,403, dated October 9, 1900.

' Application filed January l5, 1900. Serial No. 1,419. KNO mOdei-l To @ZZ whom, it 1mi/,y concern:

Beit known that I, FREDERICK S. KRATZET, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification.

This invention relates to game apparatus; and it consists in the construction and .arrangement of parts hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out particularly in the claims.

The object of the invention is to provide a `game apparatus in which the arrangement is such that a series of pivoted wings or holders mounted upon an inclined table may be set in a vertical position and depressed by a ball rolling down the surface of the table and coming in contact with said wings in its descent, said wings or holders carrying characters or symbols, whereby upon their depression a certain score in the game is made. The above object is obtained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a perspective view of a game apparatus involving. my invention. enlarged central longitudinal section th rough a portion of the table. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail, partly in section, showing one of the pivoted win gs and the hollow counterpoise or weighted extension attached thereto. Fig. '4 is a like view showing the counterpoise maintaining the plate in a vertical position. Fig. 5 is a detail of the under side of the table, showing the rod for actuating the pivoted plates.

Referring to the characters of reference, 1 designates a suitable table supported in an inclined position and having a vertical flange 2 around the margin thereof. Upon each side of the table and parallel therewith is an open way 3, adapted to contain a ball 4, adapted to be driven from said way by any suitable Ineans and to pass therefrom onto the inclined table, upon which said ball is adapted to roll between the series of rubber-covered pins 5, projecting vertically from the tables surface.

Fig. 2 is an` Mounted in the surface of the table between the rows of pins are the plates 6. Each of said plates is provided with a movable wing or symbol-carrier 7, the Stem 8 of which passes through a slotJ 9 in said plate and is pivotedv at 10 therein. Each of said wings is adapted to carry a card or number, as shown in Fig. 1. Attached to the stem of each wing is a weighted arm or counterpoise 11 in the shape of a hollow cylinder and adapted to contain a ball12. The under side of the table is recessed at 13 to receive the weighted counterpoise when the wings are lying upon the surface of the table, as shown in Fig. 3. The relation between the wing and the counterpoise is such that when the wing is in a vertical position at right angles to the table the Aweight 12 will occupy the lower end of the hollow arm and maintain said wing in said position. Upon the 'depression of the wing, however, by any force moving against it from the upper side, such as a ball rolling upon the table, the weigh ted ballin the hollow arm will move to the end of said arm nearest the point of the pivot 10, thereby reducing the leverage exerted by its weight and enabling the wing 7 to overbalance it and maintain itself in a horizontal position.

To restore the wing to a vertical position after being depressed, an actuating-rod 14, extending longitudinally of the table on its underface,is employed. Projecting laterally from said rod are a number of fingers 15, which are curved so as to engage a pin 16, extending from the weighted arm 11, whereby a longitudinal movement of saidA rod in the direction of the foot ofthe table will cause said fingers to engage the pins of the weighted arms and swing said arms downward, thereby raising the wings to a vertical position and exposing the cards or symbols upon their faces, the weighted balls in said hollow arms maintaining said wings in said raised position until overcome by a force suflicient to depress the wings against their weight.

In the operation of the device the rod 14, through its projecting knob 17, is drawn longitudinally, thereby raising all of the wings to a vertical position. The ball 4 is then discharged from the way 3 and caused to roll down the table between the pins 5. Should the ball in its course encounter one ofthe IOO wings 7, its weight is sufficient to depress said wing, over which the ball will roll, and contin ning its course down the table the ball may encounter other of said wings before reaching the bottom of the table. Vhere numbers are mounted upon the face of the wings, the numbers carried by the several wingsdepressed by the ball in its course down the table are added together to make the score, and the player scoring the largest amount wins the game. There cards are used, the denomimttions of the several cards carried by the wings depressed in the passage of the ball down the table are computed to determine the score of each player. After each descent of the ball 4 down the table the rod 14 is drawn upon to restore to a vertical posit-ion the wings depressed bythe passage of the ball, so that all of the wings will stand erect for the succeeding play. A coiled spring 18 is employed to return said rod after being actuated, so as to be in a position for a successive operation. By means of this game apparatus a very interesting game of cards may be played in which each player has an equal chance to win the game.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim isl. In agame apparatus, the combination of an inclined table, a series of wings pivoted in the table and adapted to extend upwardly therefrom above the plane thereof said wings adapted to carry figures or symbols and to lie upon the tables surface, means for maintaining said wings yieldingly in a vertical position and means for maintaining said wings in a horizontal position with the face upon the surface of the table when moved from their vertical position.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination of an inclined table upon which a ball is adapted to roll, a series of deflecting-pins in the surface of said table, a series of pivoted wings mounted upon the surface of said table between said pins and normally standing in a vertical position above the surface of the table, a counterpoise attached to said wings and depending below the surface of the table, said counterpoise serving to normally hold said wings erect and to maintain them in a horizontal position when depressed.

3. In a game apparatus, the combination of an inclined table adapted to permit a ball to roll upon the surface thereof, a series of pivoted wings set in said table adapted to carry a sign or symbol upon their face, each of said Wings having a hollow arm attached thereto `and depending below the surface of the table, a ball in said hollow arm adapted to roll from end to end thereof, whereby each wingis maintained in a vertical position upon the surface of the table when erect and in a horizontal position when depressed, substantially as set forth.

et. In a game apparatus, the combination of an inclined table, a series of wings projecting upwardly from the surface of the table each wing havingr a weighted arm attached thereto, said arm being pivoted in the table and carrying an automatically-movable weight depending below the surface ot' the table an actuating-rod lying against the under side of the table having extensions adapted to engage said pivoted arms.

v 5. In a game apparatus, the combination of an inclined table, a series of symbol-carrying members pivoted in said table to stand vertically from the plane thereof, said pivoted members being adapted to move from a vertical to a horizontal position and to lie upon the surface of the table and a counterpoise connected With each of said movable members whereby they are vieldingly maintained in position at the limit of their movement in both directions.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK S. KRTZE".

Witnesses:

P. BERGMANN, F. WEDDIE. 

